One Stormy Night
by Aqua Sunshine
Summary: When both Yuki and Akito falls sick, with Yuki being the more critical patient, who's left to take care of Akito? A lil on the AkT side...slight fluffiness Pls tell me what you think!
1. When the Rain Fell

**DiScLaImEr – **Oh I wish…oh how I wish!!  LoL…if Fruits Basket was mine, then the anime wouldn't've stopped where it stopped…although I have to admit, it was a good place to end on…  But still!! :P

**JuSt a LiL note – **I'd like to dedicate this lil fic to _Sailor Panda_, for taking the time to read over **The Day the Dream Ended **for me, and giving me so many pointers in your e-mail.  **_Arigatou gozaimasu_, _Panda-san!!_  **I hope you like this result of my attempt at correcting some of the confusing/unclear part that was so common in my other fic ^^* ** __**

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One Stormy Night 

**_~ When the Rain Fell ~_**

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"What do you mean you can't return right now?  I _forbid _you to remain at Shigure's house tonight and you know what comes with defying my orders." Sohma Akito snared over the telephone.  Angered beyond belief at the current situation, it was obvious that he was one who demanded strict obedience and was accustomed to receiving it.  

"I am fully aware of that." came the contrastingly calm-toned reply.  "But at the moment, Yuki is in critical condition and I can't afford to move him anywhere nor can I leave him like this.  You yourself had always told me that the health of the Jyuunishi is my solo responsibility, and I'm merely carrying out what you have appointed me to do."  

Silence took its reign over the conversation.  _This is **not** good_.  Sohma Hatori thought to himself with an inward sigh as he practically felt the heat of the Sohma family head's anger rising rapidly on the other end of the line.  _However, I also don't have any other choice.  Everything I've told him is the truth, and there is no avoiding my staying here to keep watch on Yuki tonight.  He hasn't had an attack like this since he was very young, and something as sudden as this could cause permanent damage to his bronchi tubes, if it's not caught in time._

At the moment, he was using Shigure's hallway telephone while four pairs of nervous and worried eyes fixed their gazes upon him, seemingly unable to move, with another pair trying to hide the concern evident in them.  It was already 11 o'clock at night, and he had been called over through this very telephone by an uncharacteristically tense Shigure, telling him to hurry over to treat a particularly sick Yuki.  Outside, thunder rolled and the rain seemed to be falling endlessly, adding more gloom to the already-intense situation.  Finally, a voice sounded from the other speaker.

"Fine." Akito muttered angrily, though it sounded a little wheezy.  The stress of the situation was obviously taking its toll on his frail body and adding to his current sickness…yet another one of his infamous fevers.

However, Hatori's relief at being able to stay to attend to Yuki didn't last long before a cold dread took over him at the next words he heard.

"But," his tone taking on a sinister edge, Akito almost smirked as he continued.  "I'll allow you to stay there only if you send someone over here now."

"Who would you like me to send?  Momiji, Hatsuharu, Shigure and Kyou are all here with me right now." calm-sounding and completely contrasting what he was feeling inside, fearing what he knew he would inevitably hear.

"You're missing someone, Hatori." came the almost taunting reply.  "I want you to send that girl over, to be my maid tonight.  It's her or you…oh, or better yet," Akito felt his face twist into an ugly sneer, "you could even send Yuki over to replace you, if you'd like.  But I believe the best solution here is to send _her _over, wouldn't you agree?"  

Hatori could count on one hand how many occasions his mind froze completely and he can barely bring himself to think, and this was one of them.  _Take Yuki over there?  He knows that's not even an option.  _The usually calm and cool Hatori thought frantically.  _And the whole purpose of this is to keep me here to watch him…he knows I'll have no choice but to give in to him.  But this…_

"Hatori-san, is something the matter?" asked a timid yet anxious voice.  "Please tell us what's wrong…will Akito-san not give his consent?"

Identifying it as female, Hatori cringed on the inside, already knowing what she would say when she hears of Akito's proposition.

"That's…that's not the problem…" covering the mouthpiece of the phone still didn't keep him from trailing off.

"What is it, Ha-san?" Shigure chipped in, just as anxious as Tohru was.

"Akito said he'll allow me to stay tonight, but err…" mentally slapping himself for trailing off again, Hatori could only watch as Kyou finally got fed up with the whole waiting situation.

"Well spit it the hell out already!  What does he want?" 

"He wants Honda-kun to go over to the main house right now, to stay for tonight."

Silence once again took control over the whole house.  The worry that was evident in all their eyes was now displayed openly on all the present Sohma males' faces.  Tohru to go to Akito—_alone—_thi_s_ late at night?  And with a thunderstorm outside, to boot…none of that added up to what would be considered "safe" in any of their standards.  

Thinking of her last interaction with the family head, Tohru too, couldn't help but mentally flinch a little.  It wasn't that she was afraid of ever facing him again, but, given the choice, she would have probably preferred a later date, on a more friendly night.  However, there are times when the matter at hand is much more important than choice circumstances and, to Tohru, anything involving her friends was one of them.    

"I'll go." she said to the nervous faces around her.  Touched by their concern for her, Tohru continued soothingly with a smile.  "Don't worry about me!  I'm sure Akito-san just wants some company, seeing how he's sick too.  He must want someone there to take care of him tonight.  Hatori-san can take care of Yuki-san much better than me, so I'll go to the main house to care for Akito-san in your place."  Seeing how none of them looked reassured in any way, Tohru frantically waved her hands around (like she always does whenever she gets nervous!), trying to assure them of her safety.  "Please don't worry about me!  I'll be okay over there, and since Akito-san is sick too he must be pretty tired and I'll just sit and watch him sleep tonight!  And if he needs anything then I'll be there to help him—I'm sure that's why he asked someone to go over to keep him company tonight.  So everything will work out just fine!"

_She's completely just making things up now…_ Hatsuharu thought as they all stood with fat sweat drops on their foreheads ^^*, and dumbfoldedly watched as the girl continued in her fervent blabbering, obviously trying very hard to reassure them that they should let her go as Akito requested.  _However…_

_This is **not **very reassuring at all, ya know… _Kyou thought as Tohru, unstopped by anyone as of yet, continued on her rambling speech.

"Ummm…Tohru?" Momiji finally spoke up, sweat drop still intact.

Finally realizing that her rambling was getting a lil out of hand, Tohru stopped and gave a tiny nervous chuckle, waiting for their decision.  _I don't want to worry them so much…but there's just no other choice.  I know that Akito-san wouldn't give Hatori-san any other alternatives, otherwise he would've taken them already.  Please let me do this one thing for you all…_

"I'm still waiting, Hatori." Akito's voice reflected his impatience, although he was getting plenty of amusement out of this little live-soap.

A chest-tearing cough upstairs reminded them that a decision had to be made.  With so few choices presented to them, it was obvious that they had to give in to Akito yet again.  

Looking around him one last time to see if he could catch a glimpse of another idea, Hatori could only see that the others had come to the same conclusion that he himself had.

"She'll be over as soon as she gets ready, Akito." was the slightly sullen reply that matched the looks on the usually expressionless man's face.

_I'm sorry, Honda-kun.  But there isn't any other choice, and you understand that as well, don't you?_

"Good.  Make sure she doesn't make me wait."   

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_Well, here I am.  _Honda Tohru thought a little nervously as she stood outside the Sohma family head's private chambers.  Upon her arrival at the main house she had been very much rushed here by the nervous servants, who were obviously glad that their master would have someone else to focus his attention on instead of taking his unpleasant mood out on them.  Right now, standing alone so close to another confrontation with Sohma Akito, Tohru shivered as the chilling air of the house and her well-hidden fear got the better of her.  

_Maybe I should have listened to Hatori-san and changed before I came… _

Looking down at her "outfit", Tohru winced.  A firm believer that comfort always comes before style when one's at home and completely at ease, she had been wearing merely her "home" red shorts and a simple large t-shirt.  In her haste to get the main house, Tohru didn't want to make the family head wait and thus didn't take the extra time to put on something warmer.  _I just hope that Akito-san doesn't think I'm trying to disrespect him, coming to see him dressed like this. _

Taking a deep breath and gathering her courage, Tohru knocked lightly on the paper slide-door and waited nervously for a reply.

Minutes passed by, and Tohru couldn't help but grow anxious.  Was something wrong with Akito-san?  What if he'd fallen asleep already and she was disturbing him?  What if…

The paper door slid open violently, revealing a ragged looking Akito.

"What took you so long?" he managed to wheeze at her.  

"Go…gomen nasai!  I tried to get here as soon as I could, honest…"

"Did I say you could talk ba..." sentence trailing, Akito started to cough uncontrollably, his plans to take out his frustration of Hatori's disobedience on the girl obviously taking a worse toll on him than on her.  Servants attempted to rush to their master's aid as the family head clung to the doorframe for support.  

"Akito-san, are you all right?!  Here…let me…"

"I _don't _need your help!" he growled as loudly as he could manage. 

_Even in his weakened state he still refuses to receive help from those who only mean him good…_

Biting her lower lip partly in pain of being so helpless at seeing someone suffer like he was suffering, but mainly to keep it from trembling, Tohru took the glass of water that one of the small crowd of servants had brought and stepped towards the slumping figure.

"St…stay where you are." Akito hissed, panting for breath and stuttering on his words.  "I do…**not**…need anyone's help…you understand?"

He looked up, face flustered from his coughing efforts, to see that the lone girl holding a glass had not been fazed in the least by his words.  For reasons unknown to him, seeing this only enraged him more.

"I said stay** away**!" with that, he knocked the glass from her hands, causing Tohru to let out a gasp of surprise as the object hit the floor with the unmistakable sound of breaking glass and spilling water.  "All of you…get the hell out, now!"

Using the doorframe as support, Akito stood for several long moments, trying to regain his breath as he watched objects obviously intended for his use being put down or merely dropped as quickly as possible, and heard the scrambling of footsteps as his servants fled, frightened by his display of anger.  Thinking he was alone, Akito finally gave in to his body's wimps and reached for the closest bucket and proceeded to throw up violently.  To his surprise and absolute shock, a cool hand gently held his head for him, while another held his shoulders in support, to keep them from collapsing.  When he was done, a cup of cold water was brought to his lips and a cool towel followed, wiping his mouth for him.  

_Wha…? _ Struggling to turn to face whoever disobeyed him to stay, the last thing Akito remembered was how nice it had felt when those gentle hands had held and helped him…

Then darkness.

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Sleeping like this, so peaceful looking and so vulnerable, one would have never guessed what a fierce tempter came with the authority this particular eighteen-year-old held.  

But then again, just by watching him, one would have never been able to comprehend just how lonely he felt.  

A deep loneliness it was, its roots growing back even in the days of his childhood, which he had spent watching the others around him frolic and play all day while he sat in the house, too sick to have enough energy to play, had too much responsibilities to attend to as the head of the large and mysterious Sohma family, or had been just forbidden to play with the others in order to uphold a more stern image.  His loneliness only grew as he aged and his body grew more and more frail, unable to provide him with the liveliness and freedom that he had always dreamed of having ever since he was a child.  Ever since he was bounded from living his life the way he wanted to.  

Ever since he was born.

Ever since he was born with the worse of the curses upon him as the most powerful member in the large and well respected Sohma family…as the most _hated _one within the family.

_Maybe I was destined to be lonely._

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He awoke to the strange sensation that someone was watching him.  It wasn't that he was not used to being watched, but somehow this gaze seemed…different.  Not the emotionless gaze that Hatori always cast upon him while he watched him during times of sickness, and not like the looks of despise he gets from certain member of his own clan.  It felt…calming…like the gentle rays of the sun as it warms you up.  Groggily, he noted that he was in his own bed, under several layers of comforters, probably through the workings of his servants, and the cool sensation on his forehead told him that there was a cloth there, probably intending to suppress his fever.  Moaning, he tried to sit up, to find that he was left with not only no memory of what had happened after he threw up, but also no strength left to even move around on him own.  

"Oh Akito-san, you're awake!  Please don't try to move around too much—you have a high fever and should try not to overexert yourself." 

Opening his eyes widely in surprise at the concerned female voice, Akito could only numbly obey as he stared at her, wondering what in the world had possessed her to stay to look after him.  Smiling brightly, obviously relieved that he had regained consciousness, Tohru moved to replace the cloth on his forehead with a newly chilled one.  

_That hand…she must have been here the whole time, taking care of me.  But why…?  Why didn't she run like the rest of them when I lost my tempter and yelled for them to leave?_

_Why isn't she angry?_

"W..wh…a…" he stammered.

"Shh…everything is all right now.  Please just rest…I'll stay right here to look after you…if that's all right with you, Akito-san." Tohru couldn't help but smile at the obvious confusion and disbelief on his face as he once again tried to say something to her, thinking to herself, _at least he's not angry at my staying.  I just couldn't leave knowing that he's sick and all by himself.  _

"Wh…" Akito tried once again to speak to her.  Before she could wave his question off and tell him to rest again, he took a deeper breath and continued with his sentence.  "Why did you stay?" a bit stammered, but still a complete sentence.

"Because I wanted to help you, Akito-san." Tohru replied simply and sincerely.  

A look of disbelief swept over Akito's face as he heard the words that he had convince himself he would never hear.     

"You…you _wanted _to help…me?"

Ever since he was young, Akito had been despised by all whom he had encountered.  To give him credit, he rarely had the need or the physical strength to go anywhere, and thus has only met very few people. However, to be hated by mostly everyone you've met in your lifetime isn't something so easily dealt with.  Orphaned at a young age, Akito had relied solely on commanding his needs from over-anxious and fearful servants, and then later other members of his large clan, in order to survive.  In his memory, there wasn't a time he could recall when someone had told him they _wanted _to help him.

To be honest, he didn't even think he was worth anyone's willing help.

It made him feel…

"Hai, Akito-san, I wanted to stay and make sure you would be all right." the softly spoken voice brought his attention back to reality.  

Looking at her mutely, his mind was a hurricane of confused thoughts and emotions.  First it was shock beyond belief…then slowly that shock turned to puzzlement, then confusion, then…hope, and…

_And happiness?  Happy that she stayed here by my side to take care of me?  What if she was just staying to taunt me?  What if she is trying to get something from me, or even trying to poison me so to end my pathetic life of iron command that I know made those unwillingly closest to myself miserable?  What if she has something planned for me, so she stayed just to get me when I'm alone and weak?  What if…_

The whirl of thoughts came to a sudden halt as he suddenly blinked and looked at her—_really_ looked at her.  What he saw calmed his confused mind and relaxed him in ways he could not understand.  

_That gentle sincerity in her eyes…the way she stayed with me this whole time, staying awake just to watch me…how relieved she looked when I opened my eyes…how happily she smiled when I tried to speak…she doesn't have any hidden motives.  She just truly wants to help me, to take care of me.  _

_Could it really be that simple?_

Yet as something long-forgotten in his heart stirred, it didn't seem so impossible.

"I…I'm sorry, Honda Tohru-san." he muttered to her weakly, to her complete surprise and bafflement.

"But…but why are you sorry, Akito-san?"  _This doesn't sound like the Akito-san I've met any other times before, even when he acted civil towards me.  The apology he said sounded…genuine…and sincere…I wonder why he would change so suddenly.  Wait…did I do something wrong?!  _

Puzzled as to why he would so suddenly feel the need to apologize, Tohru surprised herself with her next words.  "And please don't feel that you've forced me to stay here…because I honestly wanted to stay here.  I couldn't forgive myself knowing that I was leaving you here sick and all by yourself."

When she heard what she herself had just said, Tohru gasped, thinking, _Uh-oh…that was definitely _not _what I was going to say!!  And now I'm just repeating myself over and over again.  And Akito-san didn't even want me to stay here in the first place…_

Watching her eyes, which seem to be twirling, obviously disturbed by whatever she was thinking, Akito found himself wanting to laugh.  Not laugh _at _her, but rather, at how she was taking everything so to heart, and so considerate of what he would think.  However, in his current state his laugh turned into a cough, startling the girl out of her thoughts.

"Oh…Akito-san, here, drink some water." assisting him as he drank the water to make it easier for him, Tohru smiled, thinking how nice it felt right then, how peaceful and calm everything was despite the fact that situations which involved Sohma Akito has never been known to include any of the above.  As he finished, Tohru rearranged the layers of comforters around him gently, careful not to disturb his current position, and watched as he drifted off into a deep slumber.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Opening his eyes, he realized that he must have fallen asleep again.  Akito started to reach over to the nightstand, hoping to get a drink of water, when he caught a glimpse of another head resting lightly on his bedside.  Although the room was dark, the rays of the pale moonlight seemed to dance across the person's softly cascading hair and illuminated her features.

_She's still here.  _

His drink of water completely forgotten, Akito struggled to get a few layers of his comforters to cover up the sleeping girl, hoping to keep her warm until the morning.  Careful not to wake her, Akito quietly covered her up and heard the quiet sigh of contentment from her as the comforters were draped gentle over her.  

_Honda Tohru-san…no…Tohru-kun_.  _Arigatougozaimasu…for everything.  _

And for the first time in what seemed like eternity, Sohma Akito smiled a true smile.

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Wow…this just kept getting longer and longer than what I usually write…but that's alrite :P  What did you think??  **Fruits Basket** is currently my fav anime, and so I wanted to write _something _about it.  I just hope that this turned out okay.  LoL…of all the couplings to use, I *would* go and use one so few ppl prefer, eh??  Sworrie if I offended anyone __

**BiG cHaNgE** – LoL…alrite, not exactly huge, but still a change   If anyone is here reading this for the second time, then you might have noticed that this time, I have all the names rite ^^*  Gomen nasai for getting them so embarrassingly wrong the first time…namely, all the Sohma-san/kun's!!  But hey, I had only seen what…7 episodes?…when I wrote this, so I'm allowed to make excuses here, rite? ^^*  

Oh yeah…Hehehe…I was also in a bit of a hyper-mode when I wrote the part about Tohru trying to convince everyone to let her go to Akito's.  That was also the point when I started making up words…apparently "dumbfoldedly" isn't a word…*shrugs* oh well :D  Excuse all the sweat-droppage if they bug ya o_O

Remember to drop by a line to tell me what you think of my first ever FB fic~!

~Aqua Sunshine ^^*


	2. When the Rain Stopped

**DiScLaImEr**** – **Oh I wish…oh how I wish!! LoL…if Fruits Basket was mine, then the anime wouldn't've stopped where it stopped…although I have to admit, it was a good place to end on… But still!! :P

**AnOtHeR**** LiL nOtE – **I really never thought I'd give in to write a sequel for anything…but here I am == LoL…but I'm just so glad that ppl out there actually came and read this ficcy…so I decided to surprise everyone with a sequel! But people…this is it…this is the end, gomen nasai! Rather than dragging on forever with my "intended one-shot", I'm working on another FB ficcy at the moment…one that's not a one-shot XD But shh…it's a secret . Hopefully you guys will like this 2nd chappie of my extremely short 2-chap'ed ficcy…and come back lata to read my soon-to-be new FB fic too!!

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One Stormy Night 

_Sequel - When the Rain Stopped _

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"Oh lookie lookie Kyou-chan, it looks like it's starting to rain again!" Shigure said happily in his teasing tone to the orange-haired cat, who despised the rainy weather.

"Ah, shuddup already!" Sohma Kyou growled darkly at the dog from his position at the table as an evil-looking angry aura began to visualize itself around him. Currently, they had just sat down to have dinner together when the sky started to darken considerably, although it was quite early still in the evening. Seeing that the said cat was already irritated by the weather, and was extremely short of patience with his playful cousin, Honda Tohru found that she could only sit and stare with her mouth hanging open at the situation at hand.

Getting more annoyed by the moment at the dog's playful smirk and needing to vent his irritation on someone, Kyou stood up suddenly, towering over the older man who, somehow, seemed to have suddenly shrunk both in size and in confidence.

Watching their argument and sighing, Sohma Yuki simply shook his head and continued on with his dinner, while an expressionless yet interested Hatsuharu kept looking on.

"Mmm…this is delicious, Honda-san." He turned towards the girl, who was currently frozen in shock mode n.n. Seeing her reaction, Yuki smiled, knowing just how concerned she was with the situation at hand. Waving one of the "delicious" stewed leeks to catch the frozen girl's attention, Yuki spoke again to assure her of the bickering pair's—well, mostly the bickering Kyou and the cowering Shigure—safety.

"Honda-san, you really don't have to worry about them." He said calmingly while trying to restrain himself from laughing out loud at her shock-frozen complexion. "You know he wouldn't really hurt Shigure…that Baka Neko is just looking for someone to fight because of the weather we've been having lately." Smiling brightly, he continued as his next words seem to make the girl even more shocked, if that was possible. "And he can't fight over it with me—my kick landed harder than I intended it to, the first time he tried to fight with me when it started to rain two days ago."

Recalling the memory, Tohru felt her face relax as a smile took over her features. While it wasn't exactly a "warm n' fuzzy" moment between the cat and mouse—one would've thought that seeing them fight each other in the rain wouldn't exactly be a fond memory!—it still made her smile just thinking about it, as it was the first time the two of them had resorted to physical violence since Yuki fell sick almost a month ago. _I'm pretty sure that Kyou-kun wouldn't fight Yuki-kun if he thought he still hasn't fully recovered yet. _She thought to herself as she picked up her chopsticks once again. _On top of that…Kyou-kun _did _end up losing…as usual n.n;;…so I guess that must mean that Yuki-kun is feeling back to normal again. I'm so glad he's finally better. _

Smiling back at the mouse with a reassuring smile, the two of them continued to eat while the cow kept his unblinking watch on the angry Kyou-cat, who continued to terrorize the apparently shrinking dog. Looking over at Tohru with a pleading puppy face, Shigure was now in tears because he "could only sit and stare at the wonderful food on the table".

"Kyou-kun, Kyou-kun…gomen nasai! Gomen nasai!! Demo…there's food on the table getting cold waiting for us…so why don't we finish this wonderful conversation together eh?" Shigure pleaded to his younger cousin with a smile, waving his right hand in a "que sera sera" motion…while maintaining his super-deformed form. (…T.T)

Time seemed to freeze as Kyou suddenly stopped and looked peacefully down at the steaming food and the eating Tohru. For a moment, it was as though he would actually be calmed in spit of the dripping sound of the falling rain in the background…if Shigure had not decided to continue treading on with trying to plead his case…with the wrong approach.

"I mean, it's the rain that's bothering you, right? A little rain is good…it's great! Think of all the poor plants that are happily drinking in the wonderful nutrients that the rain is bringing them! And don't worry…I'm sure this rain won't last forever and Kagura will be able to come visit you very, very soon!"

Watching strands of orange hair beginning to stick out in anger, Hatsuharu turned to look at the laughing dog with dots for his eyes, while thinking to himself: _Shigure__ no baka…you just said the completely wrong thing…again…_

Grimacing and wanting to stop a prolonged version of the yelling, Tohru found that she could not concentrate as her mind constantly slipped onto something she had been wondering about for the past month, since her last visit to the main house. Recalling the events that happened, a small smile formed to grace her features, unknown to herself.

_That time…I don't even remember falling asleep, watching him. _

Tried though she might have, the tired girl had not have the energy to stay awake to watch over the family head as she had planned to, and ended up falling asleep resting on the side of his bed. Never thinking that she could have slept long even if she was to fall asleep, with the night made cold by the then-falling rain, the next day when she woke up she had slept almost into the afternoon. Although she was just leaning on the side of the bed, she found that she was covered by blankets to keep her warm, and, somehow, a pillow had found its way underneath her head, and cushions around to support her. In her haste to get home to assure the others—who were _extremely _worried—that no harm had come to her, Tohru didn't even have the time to figure out just how she had ended up being so well taken care of, or…

_Or where Akito-san went, either… He was still sick, and should have been in bed! I wonder if he left just so that he wouldn't have to see me and feel forced into speaking with me when I woke up… _

Somehow…for all that Sohma Akito was the proclaimed cold-hearted monster that had been brutal to every single member of the zodiac, something about that thought just could not seem to quite register itself in the girl's mind.

_Sohma…Akito-san… she mused, pronouncing the name gently and carefully in her mind. Why is it that I can't seem to get my mind off of you? Is it because everything that happened after I fell asleep that one night is a mystery to me? Is it because I'm trying to find an answer…? Okaa-san had said I should always try my hardest to figure out my problems…is that why I find myself thinking of you so often? _

No matter how much she tried to convince herself that that was the reason, deep down, Tohru herself has never believed it. Although that only left her to wonder and question over the strangeness of the feelings that always come along with these "ponderings" and "slippages of train of thoughts" more.

After all, she mustn't omit the fact that Kyoko has also once told her while laughing good-naturedly that she believed that Tohru's innocence will also be her blindness to "something important". When was asked by her young daughter what that "something" was, the Red Butterfly had simply smiled her motherly smile, taken her child into her arms, and said that it was something she will undoubtedly learn about and find for herself as she grows up some more.

_Maybe…maybe this is what okaa-san was talking about…that "something important" that I never understood, or had linked anything to…until now. This…strange feeling…wondering…_

_This strange longing…_

* * *

One of the reasons why he chose to be so quiet most of the time is because this way, he found that he could observe people better—understand them better, without needing the extra words come between them to bridge this understanding. Taking his mind off of the still on-going "fighting" for a moment…or a lack-thereof-fight with one of the participants just sitting there, looking like he's about to starve to death and barely paying any attention to the only other participant in this "fight", Hatsuharu realized that Tohru has been unusually quiet for awhile now. Looking over at the girl, Hatsuharu saw that she was deep in thought while keeping a soft smile on her face. Curious as to what she could possibly be thinking of with such importance that it could momentarily block out her wanting to break up the fighting, Hatsuharu decided to ask the person who could best answer him.

"Honda-san, what are you thinking about?" the white-haired boy asked abruptly.

Snapping out of her thinking trance, Tohru almost jumped when she heard someone speak her name. Blinking rapidly to bring herself back to reality, and tracing the source of the voice as Hatsuharu, she smiled apagogically before speaking to him.

"Sumimasen, Hatsuharu-san…but what was that?"

Smiling at her, having guessed, accurately, she had a lot on her mind, the black-and-white cow repeated his question with less subtly.

"I was just wondering what you were thinking about, Honda-san." He said, facing her. Beside Tohru, Yuki had stopped what he was doing and was listening intently as well, curious and a little worried about the preoccupied "Honda-san". After all, it wasn't everyday that Tohru would sit there and lose herself in her thoughts without telling them about it.

_What I was thinking about?! Uh-oh…what am I going to say? They'll be so worried if I told them I don't quite understand it, myself! Laughing a little at her own confusion, the girl found herself actually at a loss of words at how to reply his question. Now just how do I explain something that I have yet to figure out for myself…??_

"Ano…it's nothing, really! I guess I'm just a little tired." Smiling a bright smile in attempt to assure them, and on the verge of her frantic mode, the girl realized that she had gained the attention of everyone in the house now, including the now-silent and concerned-looking Kyou (who was still standing over Shigure, fist raised!), and the relieved-looking novelist. Looking from the standing Kyou to the de-sized Shigure, Tohru felt herself smiling all over, feeling more herself again. "But I'm really glad that you two have come to a solution!"

As soon as those words left her mouth, beads of sweatdrops appeared on all four Sohmas' heads as they all thought of the same thing at once: _what solution?_

Nethertheless, that was the end of the fighting, and as the five of them (including the visiting Hatsuharu!) once again began to eat the now partially-cold food. Everything seemed to be the way they always were again in the Sohma Shigure household.

Finishing the last of her dinner with the rest of them, Tohru decided to put her wonderings away…for another time. With an inward sigh that was so unlike her, she thought to herself as she and the glaring Kyou and Yuki began to gather the dishes for washing. I_ hope I'll figure it out soon…I don't want them to worry about me over something this silly._

* * *

_It's starting to rain again. _Sohma Akito thought as he leaned on his windowsill. All was quiet in the Sohma main house, save for the rhythmic sound of the raindrops splashing. A person who used to despise the cold, clammy weather, somehow, staring up at the rainy skies and watching the droplets of rain fall onto the ground, Akito found it strangely comforting to him. Relaxing and smiling to himself in the serene quietness, the head of the Sohma clan was surprised when he realized what he was doing…and how peaceful he was feeling right then, just enjoying the company of the memories the rain brought with it.

_So it's been a month…already huh? _

Recalling the puzzling events of that hectic night, when his own and _only_ trusted personal doctor had had to leave him during an illness to attend to another sick member of their family—and he had been left alone angered and made weak by his fever in the main house—momentarily made him angry. But the anger subsided as quickly as it came on, as if washed away by the falling rain, as his train of memories continued their play—and he remembered that he was not alone that night. No, he could hardly call it alone, although he had given the orders to be left so out of a tempter fit. Smiling ever so gently over the recollection, the young man was still amazed that the girl whom he had forced into attending him that night had not stayed only to watch him suffer on his own like he thought she would have—or what he knew he would've done had their positions been reversed—but to help him…to take care of him…to talk to him…and to stay with him the entire night willingly. Sighing, Akito wondered why he was still thinking about that one night, so long ago, so much…and just why those thoughts—especially the ones of the girl—were so strangely comforting to him.

It's ironic, really, to think that by _not _getting what he wanted for the first time in his life, the usually aloof family head was actually not in the least bit angered. The idea itself had never crossed his mind before: he was, after all, the most powerful person to the large and well-respected Sohma clan. Having been tended to by the girl he supposedly hated most in the entire world? Having helped and actually comforted…_comforted!…_by the person whom he had intended on punishing that night because of her interfering ways? The idea itself was absurd—he was supposed to always get whatever he wanted, and thus _should_ have gotten what he wanted, which was to punish her and make her sorry for every entering into their lives.

So why was it that he couldn't help but think of her…and feel himself smiling involuntarily?

Why was it that whenever thoughts of her crossed his mind, he would find himself no longer bitter or angry, no matter when or what the situation was? Why do the memories of her—short memories they are, seeing how he was sick and unable to know what happened when he was drifting in and out of sleep—he'd feel more at peace…and happier than he remember ever being?

Why was it that everytime he heard her name, his heart would seem to beat just a little faster, and the temperature in the room would seem to rise just a little hotter…and he would immediately feel so much better even though she wasn't even there?

Why can he not stop himself from thinking about her…and liking it so?

_Honda Tohru-san…Tohru… Why do I want to see you so badly?_

Shaking his head as if to clear his thoughts, Sohma Akito turned from the rain and got up from his place on the windowsill, leaving the curtains blowing freely in the gentle breeze of rain and wind.

* * *

"Would you like some help finishing up?" the manager asked her as she got ready to depart after her evening shift hours of hard work. Pausing in her work, Tohru smiled brightly at the aging lady, who looked quite worn out and ready to rest.

"No, I'll be fine Jinya-san, thank you! Don't worry about me!" the girl answered as she straightened her posture, wanting to look as sure as she sounded. When the elderly lady still hesitated, Tohru's expression softened, touched by her manager's concern for her. "I'll be finished soon, honest! Please go and get some rest now…after all, tomorrow is Sunday and there's no school, so I'll be able to sleep in."

Looking assured at the energetic-looking girl's last words, Tohru's cleaning manager smiled and headed towards a waiting elevator. "See you next week then!"

"Sayonara, Jinya-san!"

Smiling still as the old lady's head disappeared into the elevator, Tohru returned to finishing the last of the sweeping before heading home herself, physically worn out from a long day's work. As she swept the large tiled floor, she returned to her previous train of thought…of _him_. It was with surprise that Tohru realized that thinking of him somehow made her momentarily forget her weariness and made her…feel so _happy_, somehow. The feelings she felt for him…it was as if she was walking on air just thinking about him, broomstick and all. With no one around to question or worry about her, Tohru couldn't help but let the gentle smile she was feeling inside when she thought make its way to her face, gracing her features with it.

_Akito-san…I wish that I could meet you again…but…_

Her smile subsiding a bit as she thought of what others who had interacted with him in the past had told her—_warned _her, to be precise—of him, and of what he did to them. The troubled girl reflected that it would probably not be possible for her to ever see the family head again by herself, if she was to see him ever again at all.

_I can't ask to see him, because then everyone will be worried, especially Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun—and I don't want them to worry about me needlessly, especially since they have so much to think about already. And isn't it not right for me to…to feel so much for Akito-san and to think about him so much, after all he's done to everyone?_

A little saddened, Tohru realized that she was back at the start of her debating points which she had been pondering over for a month now…again. Finished with the sweeping, she went to get ready to leave for home.

_I wish I could see you, Akito-san…if only because I'm thinking selfishly…if only so I could clear up my mind and see why I feel such…strange emotions…about you._

* * *

Exiting from the side door of the building she worked at, Tohru peeked out from underneath the tiny balcony roof to see that the rain was still falling quite steadily. Shivering from the night cold and the rain, she leaned against the door to wait for the rain to pass…hopefully soon, since most of her was still getting rained on.

_I should have remembered an umbrella, at least. _

Smiling a little apologetically to herself, she remember how hectic she had been going out the door, on the verge of being late for work. Luckily, Hatori had come to pick up Hatsuharu in the car, and had driven her to work. In her haste, however, Tohru had forgotten to bring just about everything she needed aside from her work nametag.

Closing her eyes tiredly, Tohru was surprised to hear footsteps near her, late as it was and being in pretty much a back ally. She was even more surprised when she heard the footsteps stop close to where she stood…alone…and felt that somehow it had stopped raining on her even though the unmistakable sound of rain was still heavy in the background. A little worried and scared, Tohru opened her eyes slowly to see who her visitor could possibly be…

And almost fell over when she saw Sohma Akito standing there, holding an umbrella over her to shield her from the rain.

"A…Akito-san…?" she ventured surprised and a little timidly, not knowing what to make of the sudden situation.

Holding an unreadable expression on his face, he stood rock-still, staring back at her. The only sound in the background of the staring pair was the rain, coming down even harder now by the minute.

_What…in the world am I doing here?_ The young man thought to himself, a little surprised to find that he had actually gotten there, as he continued his stare at the surprised girl…the girl whom he had been constantly thinking and dreaming of. Startled as she was about the abrupt and definitely surprise visit, Tohru could not help but be worried for the frail family head being in the cold of the night. Unafraid of the young man before her—the same young man who provoked fear from even those closest to him—she spoke again without waiting for him to snap out of his stare. 

"Akito-san, is everything all right?" she asked him, looking up at him at his higher height with concern in her innocent eyes.

Her question itself caught him so off guard that he couldn't even hide the surprise from showing on his face. _She's…she's worried about_ me_? After everything she must have undoubtedly been told about me…after only spending only so little time with me…_

Giving in to what he was feeling for her right then—what he had been feeling for the past month—Akito found himself smiling ever so gently down at the concerned girl before him. Seeing his reaction to her question, Tohru almost didn't know what to make of it. He didn't answer her; he didn't yell, or slap her for speaking "out of place" for someone whom he, in the past, would have taken for a servant. He just…_smiled_—a smile neither fear invoking nor held any hidden agendas, but rather a smile which reflected happiness and gladness from his soul.

"Everything's fine, Tohru-san." He said to her gently, kindly.

**_All I know was that I wanted to see you…and that thought alone had gotten me this far._**

Relieved that he was well, Tohru smiled back at him under the rather tight quarters of their single shared umbrella, blushing a little. Keeping her eyes on him, the two of them didn't seem to mind as silence once again settled between the two comfortably. _Akito__-san…you're really here, standing before me…_ Suddenly seeming to realize, for the first time, that they were still standing in the cold of the rain, the girl gave a little gasp.

****

**_A single thought of you has gotten me further than I had ever been, from physically walking here…to this strong emotional attachment I have for you… This attachment which constantly draws me towards you._**

"Oh no…Akito-san…your health! You…you shouldn't be standing…coldhealthrainfevercoldcoughcoldraincold!!"

Blinking at her animatedly as the girl before him began to wave her arms frantically in the air with her hair sticking straight out, while repeating the…words she said…over and over again…Akito couldn't help himself anymore. Taking care to make sure he still held a firm grip on his umbrella so they wouldn't be drenched, the usually stern and unsmiling young man laughed—a clear, ringing, and happy sound that surprised the girl out of her shock mode to stare at him with an unbelieving look in her eyes. Taking a few deep breaths in attempt to stop himself from laughing, Akito found that he could barely constrain himself from continuing to laugh. It was as if all the laughter that he had restricted himself from—all the happiness that he was forbidden to touch and had forbidden himself from touching—came rushing to him at once. Just standing there, watching her shock-filled expression of disbelief and astonishment, somehow seemed to fuel his thought to be non-existent spring of happiness. __

_**I wonder if you know…if I will ever have the courage to tell you…just how important you are to me…**_

Finally getting himself under control, Akito smiled happily at the girl before him while still trying to suppress his threatening laughter. "I'm sorry Tohru-san, I didn't mean to laugh so much…but it's just that…"

_**Or just how I feel about you…**_

Allowing his sentence to train, she smiled at him, amused and happy. "It's all right, really! Akito-san doesn't have to explain himself to me—I'm just really glad to see that you're feeling better now…and to see that you're so happy…it makes me happy too." Blushing at her own last words, Tohru quickly looked away in attempt to hide her blush in the dim alleyway light. But it did not go unnoticed by the watchful young man.

**_Or just how much I'd wondered…_**

His smile softening at her blush, the young man noticed her shivering in the cold. Giving a surprised Tohru the umbrella to hold, he took off his own heavy coat and draped it over her shoulders, stopping her shivering. She looked up at him with wonderment and worry in her eyes. Shaking her head, she tried to give his jacket back to him.

"But Akito-san, it's cold outside and you should take better care of yourself—you just got better from last month's illness. I wouldn't want you to get sick so soon again." _And especially if it's because of me that you get sick, _she thought to herself as she felt the heat rise in her cheeks once again.

**_Just how much I had hoped…_**

Shaking his head firmly, amused and touched, Akito took hold of the umbrella once again and began to steer them away from the building and to begin walking in the direction of Shigure's house. "I'm fine," he said to her tenderly—a tone that if any other member of the Sohma clan had been there to hear it would not recognize as his. Hell, _he_ could barely recognize it as his himself! But when it comes to talking with her…it just seems so…natural…so right. "But you look cold…so you should wear the jacket. After all, if we're going to walk you home, then it's best that you're kept warm. I was told that it's quite the walk in the woods at night."

**_…that you might…somehow…_****__**

The rain had begun to subside. Bit by bit, the heavy sound of falling rain splattering on the streets was reduced to a slow, calm drizzle, and the thick rain clouds began to clear up, revealing the shinning full moon, its gentle rays causing the few remaining raindrops to sparkle as they fell.

Honda Tohru stopped short to look up at her companion in surprise once again as he, too, stopped to look down at her, wondering why she had chosen not to hasten to get home, tired as he knew she must be.

**_…for some strange unexplainable reason that I myself can't even begin to comprehend…_****__**

For the first time in her life, Tohru took the opportunity to look at the head of the Sohma family…_really _look at him. What she saw in his eyes filled her completely with surprise even as it filled her with warmth from the inside, making her heart race and making it suddenly hard to breathe.

**_…feel the same way about me._**

****

"Aki…Akito…san…" she stammered, not quite sure what was happening…side from the fact that she knew…she knew then, and understood, what her okaa-san was trying to tell her about when she was younger…that "something important" that she would find and understand when she grew up some more…

_**Wondering if you could ever love me…the way I love you.**_

That strong feeling…

_**The way I've loved you since that one night you had spend with me, seemingly so long ago…**_

****

Suddenly, his face was merely inches from hers; his fragrance dangerously strong and attractive to her smelling; his every breath quickened as hers did. Closing her eyes, Tohru leaned forward as Akito lost his grip on the umbrella he was holding, catching her in a gentle but firm embrace as their lips met for the first time. The soft, quiet drizzle of rain illuminated the sidewalk they stood on, the tiny raindrops sparkling in the pale moonlight. Nothing seemed to matter to the two as the soft rain fell upon them, soaking into their clothes, and the cars passed by them. Lost in the feelings they undoubtedly felt for one another; lost in their kiss…everything felt perfectly right as the two of them seemed to separate from the rest of the world and enter into their own. Their heads separated, only inches apart, as if neither wanting to leave one another, as Akito spoke softly on her lips.

_**…the night when you unknowingly captured my heart and claimed me yours forever…**_

****

"Can I tell you something?" he whispered the words only meant for her.

"Hmm?" she answered just as softly, moving back ever so little so to see him better.

"I'm in love with you." he smiled, head bend so their at least foreheads were still touching.

Smiling the happiest smile he had ever seen her with, her eyes filled with joy and love which she held only for him, Tohru pulled him in so that their lips touched again, ever so gently.

"Me too."

_**For all of eternity.**_

_**........................** _Owari _**........................**_

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::phew:: That…took…**soooooo** much longer to write than I thought it would…and ended up soooo much longer than I'd ever imagined it to, too!! ::shaking head and throwing chemistry homework out the window:: So much for trying to be all studious and homeworky tonite!! ::grins:: But I've finished it!! It was actually a lil rough to start out with, since I never planned a sequel…but it went more smoothly towards the end…duntcha think?? :D

Anyhow…man oh man…what was with me and all the super-deformed and shock modes at the beginning?! ::shrugs:: Gomen ne, minna-san, if they bug ya…but I swear…this fic does something to me when I write it…honest!! They just want to shrink and be all SD-like 'stead of the mush that I was planning to write!! XD

As for the overly-detailed rain description…it's snowing like a monkey outside…in MAY…uu LoL…it's a good thing I like snow…but how the hell is this _spring_?! (Demo…on second thought…keep snowing! I like the cold much more than I enjoy being melted in the heat anyway!!) So yeah…that's where it came from XP

**_Akito_****_—_**before I get in trouble here, I _know _Akito was **wayyy**OCCed here, especially toward the end…I really didn't mean for that to happen, not to the extend it did, anyhow! It just did…gomen!! But…what's done is done, rite?? Go easy on the flames?? :P

Well…::looks up to see too much AN ;;:: that was the end of **One Stormy Night** (as in the title…was kinda intended to take place over the course of a day…but got stretched to a month…::grins:: oh well, title still fits, so it's all good!!). What did you think?? For those of you that didn't wanna see a sequel done…I hope I haven't ruined the ficcy for you! . And for those that did…I hope ya'll liked it!!

Crits, comments, n' well…anything you could think of sending me over e-mail/reviews are welcomed!! Send away XD

Aqua Sunshine n.n


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